9:40 PM
by governmentcontractor
Summary: A Wednesday night Donatello will never forget. Rated for Violence. Complete.
1. Default Chapter

Title: 9:40 PM

Author: Jayde

Rating: PG-13 for Violence

Summary: A Wednesday that Donatello will never forget.

Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles. No, I don't. I also do not own 'Inferno'.

Credits: Thanks to Keli for the beta, and sss979 for the quick edit.

"_Through me you enter into the city of woes__  
__through me you enter into eternal pain,__  
__through me you enter the population of loss."_

Dante Alighieri – 'Inferno'

Chapter 1:

The little bell over the door rang as I walked inside. I hunched my shoulders, and hid my face in the hood of the sweatshirt I wore under a long coat. Behind the counter, a young woman looked up, offered me an empty smile, and then returned her eyes to her book. A man was in front of the counter, just slipping on a leather jacket. He glanced at me curiously, and I felt his eyes following me as I made my way back to the aquariums. It was darker back here, and I relaxed a little away from the overhead fluorescent lights.

"You okay to lock up?" The man asked the woman behind the counter. He hadn't spoken loudly, but I could hear quite well over the sound of rushing water. Around me the pumps hummed, and the dimness was lit with a cool, blue light that didn't reach my face.

"Don't worry about it, Mark," The young woman responded, still looking at her book. I could just see her, past the small animal supplies and wire cages.

"Be careful, Alex. I'll see you tomorrow," The man, Mark, called as he headed out the door. The irritating little bell jingled, and Alex turned the page of her book. I watched her out of the corner of my eye, and caught her looking in my direction. I saw the clock on the wall behind her. 9:40 p.m. I had about 20 minutes until closing.

It was a ritual I had practiced all summer and into the fall. Every Wednesday, I visited this small pet store only a few blocks from April's building. It was peaceful here, and once in a while I scraped up enough cash to buy a fish or two for my own aquarium. I didn't buy the tank or equipment here – I just couldn't afford it. And besides, I had found or made everything I needed. I had built my own 200-gallon tank, and it held water. Mostly.

"May I help you?" Alex called out from behind the counter. She always asked. I wasn't much of a customer, but she made a vague effort at service every time.

"No thanks," I responded, slipping around the end of a row, and working my way up the other side. I leaned over and peered into a tank of ghost knife fish. They were a little beyond my price range, and I didn't know how well they would fit in with the rest of the community. They were fascinating, though.

The door banged open, knocking the bell sharply. I straightened up, tightening my grip on the staff hidden inside my coat. Four men walked in, dressed uniformly in black or dark blue, their faces hidden. They hadn't spotted me yet. I worked my way down the aisle of tanks, trying to keep a display of dog food between us. I wanted the element of surprise – just in case.

"May I help …," Alex began. Her query was cut short when the lead man pulled out a handgun and pointed it at her face. She swallowed, and her eyes cut to me. Two of the followers turned, and spotted me. They reached into their pockets.

I had seconds to figure out a plan. I dodged behind a large tank housing a school of Bala sharks. The whine of bullets was overshadowed by the sound of glass shattering. The glass blew out, away from me, and water flooded across the floor.

"The money. All of it. Now," one of the men shouted, banging a hand on the counter. Alex whimpered, and started pressing buttons, desperately trying to get the drawer to open. "Come on," the man demanded.

Two of the others were working their way back towards me. A shot rang out, and I ducked down.

"Hey, leave him alone," Alex shrieked desperately. "He's just a customer!"

"Shut up and get the money," the man holding the gun on Alex pressed it to her forehead. She gasped a breath, and went back to fighting with the register.

I slipped around the corner of the tanks, and pressed my shell to the wiring post. I could hear the men approaching – one up each aisle. Carefully, I shifted the bo out from under my coat. I waited, eyes closed and concentrating on their footsteps. Just as they reached my end of the store I struck, catching the one on the left in the head with the staff, and the one on the right in the stomach with my foot. Both staggered back, knocking into the fish tanks. Water sloshed onto the floor.

Bullets slammed into the pole behind me, and I heard the electric sizzle of frying wires. A spark ignited, and fire flickered to life among the cords.

"We got the cash. Let's move," someone shouted from near the counter. I heard the sickening thump of a gun butt hitting flesh. I charged up the aisle in time to see Alex slump to the floor behind the counter. The two men still mobile were heading for the door. Behind me I heard the whoosh of flame, and turned to see the carpet catch fire.

Smoke swirled around me as the two thieves slammed out the front door. I ran for Alex, and dropped to my knees beside her prone form. I checked her pulse – still there. I slid my arms under her, and lifted her carefully.

I coughed, and tried to bend over to get away from the smoke. It was impossible while carrying this load. The front door was just ahead. As I reached it, the door flew open, and I saw a familiar silhouette. Without comment or explanation, I shoved the burden into his arms, and turned back to the store.

The fire extinguisher was behind the counter. If I could reach it, I could maybe save part of the store. As I staggered through a darkening haze, something struck me from behind, crushing me under an enormous weight. I fell to my knees, fighting to get out from under whatever had caught me. The haze about me suddenly turned to black.

----------------

A bell rang above my head. I glanced down to see a doorknob in my right hand. The sound of someone clearing his throat led me to glance up. Across a table filled with glittering cat toys, I saw a familiar counter. A young woman with a book in her hands leaned on the counter near a cash register.

"May I help you?" Alex asked.


	2. 2

Chapter 2:

It was déjà vu. That's all. I shook my head, and ducked down a bit further into my hooded sweatshirt. I turned and walked quickly down the aisle to the aquariums. Behind me, Mark was asking Alex if she was okay to lock up. I noted the tank of Bala sharks on my left. No bullet holes, no broken glass. No sign of a fire.

Daydreaming. I shook my head again, trying to clear it, and wandered over to look at a few cups holding Bettas. They were arranged along the top of an empty tank, swimming in endless circles in their little plastic prisons. The bell above the door rang, signaling Mark's departure. The tension in my neck and shoulders eased a little.

It had to be a daydream. It was the only logical explanation. Although why I would fantasize about the destruction of this pet store was beyond my comprehension. I considered a blue Betta. He was really gorgeous. I could build a small tank for him …

The front door slammed open. I spun, and looked on in alarm as four men dressed in dark clothes and ski masks entered the store. They were the same four as in my daydream. The man in the lead marched up to the counter. Alex started to ask him if he needed anything, when the gun appeared. I ducked behind the wiring pole at the end of the aisle, my heart pounding fiercely.

"Somebody back there?" The man shouted. This didn't make any sense. Was I having premonitions? I swallowed thickly. "You'd better come out buddy, or I'm gonna shoot this girl," he threatened.

I started to shift away from my hiding spot, but hesitated. If I moved, they would see me. They would all have my location now. My momentary lapse had given them the opportunity to pin me down.

"Okay, one dead girl, coming up," the man stated. Alex cried out in alarm, her voice echoing off the walls of the small store.

I moved around the corner. The report of the gun seemed incredibly loud. I watched the red hole appear at her left temple, and then she collapsed to the floor like a rag doll. She hadn't even screamed.

The bo was in my hands, and I was charging forward before conscious thought could catch up. I swung, taking out the two at the end of my aisle. I spun to level a high kick at a third man …

And found myself below a tinkling bell with a door handle in my right hand. My eyes went round with shock, and I gaped, open mouthed, at Alex and Mark where they stood on opposite sides of the counter.

"May I help you?" Alex asked. There was no bullet hole. I backed out the door, and slammed it behind me.

-------------------

Home. I had to get home and get my brothers. Something uncanny was happening here. I ran through an alley, keeping to the shadows with my staff in my hand. My hood fell back, but I didn't take the time to fix it. I looked around a corner, and saw people coming. I ducked back, and took a deep breath. Calm down. Back the way I had traveled there was a fire escape. I retraced my steps to the ladder. I scrambled up, clumsy in my haste, and gained the rooftop.

Running, I leapt to the next rooftop, and then the next until I was nearer home. I headed down another fire escape, taking my time, and trying to make less noise. This wasn't the time to panic. The night was clear, and only a little cool. I took the time to breathe deeply, and armed sweat from my forehead.

I checked out the empty street, and dashed across to the warehouse. Almost there; I felt a moment of relief when my hand closed around the door handle of the side door. Leo would know how to sort this out. I turned the handle and stepped in.

A bell tinkled above my head. I glanced up, and moaned.

"Oh, no."


	3. 3

Author's Notes: Thank you for the rapid and useful reviews. On the subject of commas: I know I probably use them where they don't actually need to be. It's my deep and abiding love of punctuation. I do promise to work on it. This is going to be a fairly short story – the end is nigh.

Chapter 3:

It was a trap. Some kind of alternate reality, or another dimension, but still a trap for me: possibly for my brothers as well, but I hadn't seen them yet. The door swung shut behind me, and I walked back to the aquariums. I halted beside the dog food as the pair at the counter repeated the same things they had said before. A moment later, Mark had left through the front door, which meant that in minutes the armed robbery would start again.

I spun and headed back to the door. I looked around wildly for anything to block the entrance. My eyes settled on a heavy wood aquarium stand. I shoved it towards the door, wrangling it into place.

"Hey! Hey, you can't do that," Alex admonished, coming around the counter and waving her book at me. I got a look at the cover art: a black cover with red flames around the bottom, and the title at the top – 'Dante's Inferno'. Strangely appropriate. I grabbed another stand, complete with 100-gallon glass tank, and dragged it over to the door as well. The aquarium wobbled for a moment, but I caught it before it could fall over.

"My boss is gonna freak," Alex insisted, not daring to actually interfere with me. I checked the clock. It had been nearly five minutes already. The door banged against my makeshift blockade.

"They're here," I noted, backing away. I pulled out my staff and waited. The door banged again, and then silence. "Maybe they're going away," I said, voicing my thoughts. My shoulders lowered a bit. A crash behind me caused me to whirl.

"Open that register," the man shouted, waving his gun. There was a back door.

I started forward. The second man grabbed Alex by the throat and slammed her against the wall behind the counter. I froze in place.

"What the hell are you?" The man with the gun asked. He must have seen my face. Alex made gasping noises – the second man was choking her. "Whatever you are, you're dead." I dove for cover as bullets sprayed around me. I hit the floor only to fall through it into darkness, and found my hand on the doorknob a moment later.

------------------

I sat on the curb, my feet resting in the gutter, and considered my options. I had vacated the store. Mark had walked past me a moment ago on his way home. He had given me a strange look, but I ignored it. Cars drove by now and again, but I didn't pay attention that, either. Leo would have had something to say about the risk I was taking sitting out here in the open.

But exposure was the least of my problems right now. I needed to think. I was ensnared somehow, repeating the same slice of time over and over again. There had to be a way out of this.

A car pulled up across the street. Four very familiar men climbed out, and crossed towards me. I stayed where I was, and observed them carefully. Each man checked his pocket – obviously all were armed. They stepped into the store. Minutes later, a piercing scream came from inside. I shivered, but I forced myself to stay still. After a while, the men walked back out of the store. They were stuffing cash into their pockets, smiling. I stood up, and the world wavered away.

My hand was on the doorknob again.

"Call the police," I ordered, rushing past the counter and in a new direction. Staying out of the store didn't stop the cycle, so it was time for some more direct action. I headed for the curtained area I had noticed, and charged through. Back room, and beyond it the back door – I vaulted a box, and turned the lock, hearing a satisfying click. I shoved as many boxes as I could against it, and hurried back out front. Mark had gone, and Alex was looking at me like I was a madman.

"Did you call the police?" I questioned, starting to drag the aquarium stands over to the front door again.

"Not yet, but I think I'm going to if you don't leave right now," Alex threatened, the phone in her hand.

I glanced up at the clock. 9:45 PM. I had lost five minutes already. "Do it. Call right now." It wouldn't matter. The police couldn't possibly make it here in time. I looked around, trying to find something else to use. I saw some aquarium chemicals, and quickly pocketed them. Maybe I wouldn't get to use them this time, but I could try to take them with me for the next go.

The front door rattled, and then there was silence. Next, I heard someone trying to shove the back door open. Alex dropped the phone and looked at me, stunned.

"How did you … How did you know?" She questioned, her voice shrill.

"Alex, hide or something, will you?" I instructed, readying my weapon. Alex moved out from behind the counter, and went down the aisle to the aquariums. I watched her duck down, and then got ready. The back door finally gave, and I caught the lead man as he came through the curtain. He crashed to the floor, and I spun on the next one. Maybe I could stop it this time. I felt my confidence rise as the second man fell to the floor, clutching his knee.

Behind me, I heard a horrendous crash. The other two men had made it to Alex. She lay on the floor near the aquariums, her head caved in. Water splashed across the floor, and fish were flopping everywhere. They had topped over one of the tall tank stands. Glass glittered on the floor from the fluorescent lights.

"You're next, freak," one of the men hissed, grinning with crooked teeth.

And it started all over again.

------------------

I walked back out the door, and pulled out my cell. I couldn't believe I had forgotten to try it. I turned it on, and waited for some contact, but there was only static. I stood in front of the store, my head down, and I wondered if I was, in fact, in hell.

For once in my life, I desperately wanted one of my brothers. Normally, I would have appreciated a break from them. Time to read, or experiment would have been welcome, but I would have traded a working motherboard for Leo. Or even Raph. I would have been overjoyed to have Mike around. Just one of them would have made a difference in this quagmire. I shoved a hand into my pocket, and found it empty. I looked back at the store, astonished. The chemicals were gone, which meant I couldn't create a bomb or any other device and hope to use it.

There just wasn't enough time.

Behind me, Mark left the store. Soon the car would pull up. I pressed my hands to my face and groaned. This was unbelievably frustrating. I just wanted it to stop.

I moved my hands down as I heard the car arrive at the curb. I noticed that the brakes had squealed, and the front passenger tire was up on the sidewalk. I turned back to the pet store, and some movement above caught my eye. The roof. I hurried into the alley, and found the fire escape. I climbed up the metal steps, and clambered over the edge and onto the rooftop.

Sitting near a vent was Leo. I ran over to him, and paused, panting, to stare at him.

"Leo," I called. His eyes were closed, and he looked like he was meditating. This was a fine time for it. "Leo, I need your help."

"Sorry, bro," Leo responded, his eyes still shut. "Can't help you."

"What?" I questioned sharply.

"I. Can't. Help," Leo repeated slowly as though speaking to a child.

"I can't do this alone," I argued bitterly.

"You have to," Leo replied, motionless save for his mouth. He didn't even appear to be breathing. I took a step back. "I'm not allowed to help you." His voice was so eerily calm, and so achingly familiar. I felt overcome by a wave of homesickness.

"Leo …" I wanted to plead with him, but it didn't look like it would work. I wasn't even certain if this really was my brother. The real Leo wouldn't leave me to fight on my own.

"We're waiting for you, Donnie."

I closed my eyes, and opened them to the sound of a bell over my head.

-----------------

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here," I said softly.

"Hey, that's from my book," Alex noted cheerily. She held it up so I could see the cover. I nodded, and tried not to picture her shot or strangled or crushed beneath an aquarium. The only thing left was to drown her.

"You okay to lock up?" Mark asked.

"Don't worry about it, Mark," Alex responded. I waited near the door. I needed another tactic, because I was stymied.

"Be careful, Alex. I'll see you tomorrow," Mark said, heading for the door. I had had to control my urge to recite the lines along with them. I knew it so well by now. Once Mark was outside, I approached the counter.

"Why does this keep happening?" I questioned. Alex glanced up, and her eyes widened with horror. She stepped back from the counter, dropping her book on the floor. There was no hiding my features under the bright lights at this distance.

"What … Are you an alien?" Her voice was pitched high with fear.

"No," I answered calmly. "Look, something is seriously wrong here."

"I'll say," Alex breathed, her back pressed to a poster advertising dog treats.

"In a couple of minutes four guys are going to come in here to rob the store, and they're going to kill you," I explained rapidly.

"Are you threatening me?" She queried, her hands curling into fists. I took out my staff.

"All I have is this. Do you have any guns or anything here?" She shook her head, her eyes on my weapon.

"What is that?" She asked, puzzled.

"A bo," I responded, turning my head and checking the front door. They would be here soon, and I was no closer to an answer to the puzzle.

"Where are the arrows?"

I looked back at her, and tried to make sense of her question.

"Bows have arrows, right?" She was asking for clarification. I could feel a strange expression trying to break out on my face. It took me a moment to recognize it as a smile. It vanished quickly as the front door banged open. Alex looked past me, and her face paled. "This would be a good time to find those arrows," she whispered.

"Get down," I ordered, and leaped towards the men. I managed to keep three of them busy. The fourth slipped past me, and I shouted when the gunshot rang out. "No!" I dived over the counter. The four men fled out the front door, but it was too late. I knelt in the small space, and lifted Alex onto my lap. Blood was pouring from a wound in her chest. I put a hand over it, using pressure, but it wasn't enough. "This has to stop," I whispered, cradling her. She coughed, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were glazing over, the light slowly leaving them.

"I'm sorry."

I would give anything – anything at all – if this would only stop.


	4. 4

Author's Notes: This is the final chapter of this story. I would like to thank everyone who provided feedback as I excised this plot bunny: Reinbeauchaser, Sailor Vegeta, BubblyShell22, Lioness Goddess, Fallen Hikari, pacphys, Reluctant Dragon, and dear Sassy who has read all my ramblings.

Chapter 4:

The bell jangled, and I struggled with my nearly overwhelming desire to rip it out of the ceiling and stomp on it. Instead of moving to the aquariums, I stayed near the front windows and looked out at the quiet street. Behind me, Mark was preparing to leave. I thought about stopping him, and keeping him here to see if it made a difference, but then I would likely have two dead people instead of just one.

Outside, someone was walking down the sidewalk. The figure stopped, and turned towards me. I gasped aloud as a familiar face approached the window.

"Master," I whispered. He raised a hand and pressed it to the glass, fingers splayed out.

"My son," he called, his voice muffled by the barrier. Mark stepped out the door, and Master Splinter studied me with sad eyes.

I moved my hand to the glass, and slid my palm so that it covered his. "Please help me," I begged. His whiskers drooped.

"You have always had the heart of a warrior. I have never doubted it," Splinter said, sounding as though he was speaking underwater. "But your mind travels the paths of cool logic and rational thinking. I have admired this in you, but it is time to take a different road." I watched his dark, glittering eyes, trying to find the meaning in his words. "It is time to follow your heart, my son."

The front door banged open, and Splinter vanished from the window. I turned around, pulling out my bo and starting to fight while on autopilot. One of the men was already at the counter. I could not save Alex this time ...

My mind turned over my master's words, as I swept my opponent's legs out from under him. He fell back against a large tank, and it crashed to ground spraying glass in all directions. There was barely room to swing my staff in this space, and I had to be on the lookout for the guns.

"Hey, freak!" The shout drew my attention to the counter. One of the men -- the one who entered the store first each time -- held Alex before him. He offered me a grin of pure malice, and then wrapped his arm around her head. I knew what he was going to do. The sickening crack brought me into darkness yet again.

The doorknob was in my hand.

------------------------------

The bell rang.

_Last time_. It had to be the last time. I didn't hesitate or even look at the aquariums. I barely heard the script play out. I stepped over to the end of the counter, and waited, my head down. I could feel a growl growing inside – under my plastron. It seemed to vibrate through my body. I would not watch her die again.

Mark stepped out the door. I rounded the counter.

"Hey," Alex shouted, protesting. I shoved her back against the wall with a hand to her chest. Her head rocked against the poster, and she looked at me with genuine terror.

"Last time," I snarled. Her heart was beating wildly under my hand. "Get down on the floor."

Alex dropped down, trembling, and curled into a ball against the wall. I vaulted over the counter, and charged through the store. I shoved displays and aquariums out of the way. The small space rang with the crash and clatter of things breaking. I threw my shoulder against a high shelf filled with large bags of dog food. I grunted as I toppled it over onto a large aquarium. Glass glittered from every inch of floor. I flung the table of cat toys aside. It hit the counter with a violent crunch, and sparkling little balls tumbled over the edge to join the shards of glass.

Swinging my bo experimentally, I bared my teeth in a grim smile. Now I had room to fight. I held the weapon loosely in my right hand, and waited for the minutes to count down. The growl inside continued to grow, and as the door was flung open, it grew to a howl of fury. I attacked the first man before he had time to draw his gun. He dropped to the floor with a thud and the crunch of broken glass.

The others entered more cautiously. I stood back and waited for them to approach. They drew their guns from coat pockets. I held my ground until they had cleared the threshold, and then I swung at them in a feint. One of them fired, but I was already low and taking out the legs of the two closest to me. They fell to the floor, one of them screaming in pain as shards of glass cut his palms.

I turned, hearing the sound of the safety being clicked off on an automatic weapon. I stared down the gleaming black barrel at the man holding the weapon. His hands were shaking. I took one small, sliding step.

The sound of the gun going off in the small shop was enormous. Deafening. Alex's scream echoed just behind it. The store vanished into total darkness.

------------------

I opened my eyes to something new. I had to blink several times to believe that it was actually concrete above me, and no bell. Only the distant sound of rushing water greeted my ears.

A wide green face, blue mask, and worried eyes slid into view. Leo.

"Did I save her?" I asked. My voice was raspy and weak. I tried to clear it, but my mouth was so dry.

"It's okay," Leo answered, but not directly to my question. He slipped an arm under my shoulders and lifted me a little. He had a glass of water in his other hand, and I drank greedily. Some of the liquid spilled, and Leo set me back down to get a towel. He wiped off the water.

"Leo …," I started.

"Just rest, Donnie," Leo ordered. My eyelids were so heavy I couldn't force them to stay open. Real sleep swept over me, taking me under.

I woke again to find the concrete still above me. I was relieved anew to find it wasn't the pet store. I turned my head carefully – there was a dull ache inside my skull – and noted the desk against the far wall, the piles of computer parts, and the crowded bookshelves. I was home, and in my own room. The door opened, and Leo stepped in carrying a glass of water and a pill bottle.

He set the items on my bedside table, and dragged over a chair. He sat down next to the bed, and studied my face. "You okay?" He questioned.

I nodded, but that made my head throb. "Hurts, but I'll live." Leo smiled a little at that.

"It should hurt. You've been out for almost three days."

My eyes went round with awe. Three days. The pet store. Alex.

"Leo, the pet store? What happened?" I tried to sit up, and finally struggled into a leaning position against the pillows.

"Burned to the ground," Leo responded darkly. He shifted a pillow for me. "A shelf fell over on you. Bags of dog food, I think, but it was pretty heavy. Mike and I pulled you out." Leo handed me the glass of water. "Master Splinter thinks you have a concussion."

A concussion. I wanted to ask about Alex, but the words stuck in my throat. What if she was really dead?

"Alex?" I queried at last, my body tightened as though waiting for a blow. Leo replied with a blank look. "The girl who worked there," I clarified. Leo's face registered his understanding.

"She's fine," he stated. I searched his expression for more information. "Barely a scratch, Don," he continued when he saw that I was doubtful. Something inside me relaxed a little, but a minor tremble had picked up in my arms. "You don't remember?" Leo asked. I shook my head. "You shoved her out the door -- practically threw her at Raph. Just before the shelf fell on you." Leo regarded me closely, clearly perplexed.

I put my head in my hands. Safe. She was safe. "Where is she?"

"Don, she saw us ..." Leo was frowning. I could hear it.

"Where, Leo?" I looked up at my brother. I needed to know.

Leo sighed, and picked at his wrist guard. "She's at that chain bookstore now. Nine blocks west."

---------------

I stood outside, my hands jammed into my coat pockets, and looked at her through the pane of glass. Safe and sound, and with a little nametag on -- she was actually there. She had a book in her hand. I had seen her die so many times; it seemed strange to observe her walking around.

She looked up, somehow sensing someone watching. Her face lit up with recognition, and I stepped back hurriedly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her heading for the front door. I ran around the corner, and into an alley.

There was a delivery truck parked there, and I stepped into the shadows beside it.

Footsteps rang on the sidewalk, and I saw her stride into view at the mouth of the alley. Real and solid and perfectly fine; I felt my breath hitch as she turned in my direction. I hugged the side of the truck, willing myself to invisibility.

Another woman appeared. Older, but with the same kind of nametag: she put a hand on Alex's shoulder, and tried to coax her back to the bookstore.

"I just wanted to thank him," Alex argued, still scanning the street. Turning away at last, she dropped something on the sidewalk. She gave in to the other woman's urging and headed back to the store. "He saved my life," Alex explained, reluctantly walking away.

I shifted out of the shadows and approached the dark rectangle on the sidewalk. I glanced over at the corner, but Alex was gone. I hunkered down and flipped over the book – Dante's 'Inferno'. I picked it up, and tucked it into my coat.

"You're welcome."

_Finis._

Author's Final Note: And, that's it. I know it's a little short, but I was running out of ways to kill her. I am working on something much, much longer, and when I've picked it to death, I'll post.

Edited: I found a word missing, and it bugged me so much I edited. Also, I saw a few questions in the reviews about Dante's 'Inferno'. For those who haven't read it, it is about the nine circles of Hell, so it isn't a pretty tale. The three lines at the beginning of this story, and the 'abandon all hope …' are inscribed on the gates of Hell in Dante's poem. If I can encourage someone to read classic literature, that would be pretty awesome.


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